Children in the rural southwest often drop out of school to work. They are often seen working in the rural fields alongside their parents.

As in rural areas, children in the urban southwest often drop out of school to work. They can be seen in the city streets begging, cleaning car windshields at intersections, and shining shoes.

Often, in a desperate effort to earn a little money, children will get involved in such risky activities as scavenging in the city dump for items to sell.

Local Needs and Challenges

Broken families

Thirty-five percent of the children are being raised by single mothers.

Poor education

In the rural areas, some schools combine grades one through four into one class, and school is conducted only a couple of times per week. Beyond primary school, rural children often must travel long and hazardous distances from home to the nearest secondary school.

Prayer Requests

that families will understand the importance of their children’s education to ending the cycle of poverty.

for God’s provision for families who depend on agriculture for a living.

for sponsored children to stay in school and be successful in their studies.

for the protection of families from the annual tropical storms that occur between May and November.

In rural areas, classes are often held outside because there aren’t enough classrooms.

The government’s low investment in public education means poorly paid teachers who are not motivated to do their best.

In rural areas, five out of 10 young people are school dropouts.

Compassion Dominican Republic works to ensure that every registered child is able to attend school, and it provides additional support, including tutoring, at the child development centers.

At the Compassion Child Development Center

Compassion-assisted child development centers in the Dominican Republic’s southwestern region provide registered children with the material assistance and learning opportunities they need to develop their full potential in Christ.

In addition to attending school, children receive tutoring, supplemental nutrition, health and hygiene training, and the opportunity to learn about the love of their heavenly Father.

They also spend time praying for their sponsors and writing letters to them.

What Compassion Sponsorship Provides

In partnership with local churches, Compassion brings help and hope to children in need in southwestern Dominican Republic, providing:

regular nutritious meals and snacks

health checkups and medical care as needed

the support needed to attend school

extra tutoring at their Compassion center to help ensure that they stay in school and excel at their studies

encouragement and resources to go farther, through special vocational/technical training or college

training for parents in the importance of their children’s education

an introduction to the love of God and encouragement to discover and follow His plan